BILL ANALYSIS
SB 577
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 577 (Peace)
As Amended August 28, 2000
2/3 vote. Urgency
SENATE VOTE :39-0
PUBLIC SAFETY 8-0 APPROPRIATIONS 20-0
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|Ayes:|Washington, Dickerson, |Ayes:|Migden, Campbell, |
| |Battin, Cedillo, | |Ackerman, Alquist, |
| |Firebaugh, Keeley, Oller, | |Aroner, Ashburn, Brewer, |
| |Romero | |Cedillo, Corbett, Davis, |
| | | |Kuehl, Maldonado, Papan, |
| | | |Romero, Shelley, Thomson, |
| | | |Wesson, Wiggins, Wright, |
| | | |Zettel |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Corrections
(CDC) and the Department of the Youth Authority (CYA) to provide
16 weeks of training to each correctional peace officer
candidate and two weeks of training to each newly appointed
first line supervisor. Specifically, this bill :
1)Provides that CDC and CYA shall provide sixteen weeks of
training to each correctional peace officer candidate prior to
being assigned a post or position as a correctional peace
officer.
2)Provides that CDC and CYA shall provide a minimum of two weeks
of training to each newly appointed first-line supervisor.
3)Requires that each new cadet or first or second line
supervisor who attends a training academy after July 1, 2001,
shall complete a course of training approved by the Commission
on Correctional Peace Officers Standards and Training (CPOST).
4)Contains an urgency clause.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates CPOST, within the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency,
SB 577
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and requires CPOST to develop, approve, and monitor standards
for the selection and training of state correctional peace
officers.
2)Requires CDC to use the training academy at Galt, and CYA to
use the training center at Stockton.
3)Requires that each new cadet who attends an academy after July
1, 2000, complete the course of training, pursuant to
standards approved by CPOST before he or she may be assigned
to a post or a job as a peace officer.
4)Requires that after July 1, 2000, every newly appointed
first-line or second-line supervisor complete the course of
training, pursuant to standards approved by CPOST for that
position.
5)Provides that CPOST shall report to the Governor and the
Legislature by September 1, 1999 concerning the training
standards determined for line correctional peace officers and
supervisors of the CDC and CYA. This report shall include,
but not be limited to, a description of the standards for the
curriculum of the respective academies and the length of time
required to satisfactorily train officers for their duties.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, annual costs of about $11 million, based on
2000 Budget Bill appropriations for this purpose, $10 million
for CDC and $350,000 for CYA.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "Corrections has the highest
number of adverse actions proportional to any other department
in the state. It also has the lowest training for any peace
officer group in the state. Additional training will mean fewer
mistakes and more efficiency. Additional training will also
help reduce litigation and the cost associated with lawsuits
from inmates and other interest groups.
"With the increase in prisons, a huge cadre of new officers have
been brought on line but with substandard training. While a
large investment in physical plant occurred, none has been
forthcoming to improve the human resources of CDC. This bill
seeks to remedy this inequity.
"This bill achieves its goal by requiring that the CDC and the
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CYA, to the extent funding is appropriated, provide 16 weeks of
training to each correctional officer cadet, and two weeks of
training to each newly appointed first-line supervisor, to be
completed prior to the cadet's assignment to a post or position
as a correctional peace officer."
Please see the policy committee analysis for a more
comprehensive discussion of this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Gregory Pagan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744
FN: 0006666